We are here to help students access and prepare for Higher Education in West Yorkshire.

Here you’ll find events such as open days, help choosing a course, and tips on application writing. We also provide advice on student finance, living away from home and insight into what to expect from Higher Education.

Don’t think that Higher Education is for you? Read our Myth Buster guide to clear up any misconceptions about further study.

The role of teachers, advisors, parents, carers and guardians is crucial in supporting students and potential students to access Higher Education. Whether supporting someone by raising attainment, helping them to make informed choices, or by providing practical information and guidance, Go Higher West Yorkshire can help.

We’ve compiled a list of resources, including lesson plans, videos, links to useful websites, quizzes and other activities, to help support learners’ attainment and aspirations, inform their choices about courses and careers, and to guide them through the application process and other practical issues on their journey to Higher Education.

If you would like to arrange a visit to your school, or require information about an event, contact the Go Higher West Yorkshire team.

Construction pathways at Cockburn Academy

A big thank you to Howard from Kirkstall Forge for coming into Cockburn Academy last week to speak to students about careers in construction and routes onto their apprenticeship pathway. Howard discussed a number of different pathways available stressing the less conventional options available to students who are interested in construction from Project Management and Architecture.

This is very relevant area of industry for students to be focussing on. According to the Leeds Enterprise Partnership there will be a skills shortage in this area in the next five years. The LEP has chosen to focus upon this area as a key part of their #futuregoals campaign. This campaign encourages students to think about careers they normally wouldn’t consider.

Here at Cockburn we have done a lot of work in partnership with Kirkstall Forge taking two trips to the site with students last year. This was an invaluable experience for students as one student described it as an ‘eye-opening experience showing me what goes into planning how a construction site runs and all the work behind the construction.’ It is an innovative and exciting project for students to see recently being named ‘the best commercial workplace in the UK’ by the British Council of Offices!

Overall it has been an extremely worthwhile experience for students, we have a number who are applying for an apprenticeship at their Forging Futures Campus this year and will be running a parents information evening and further interview practice in school as part of our work with the site!

Your single point of contact for information on our Higher Education providers. Go Higher West Yorkshire (GHWY) is a partnership of 12 Higher Education providers which aims to prepare people for further learning.